The Science of Love and Betrayal

A scientific exploration of some of humanity's most puzzling questions: What is love? Why do we fall in (and out) of love? And why would we have evolved to feel something so weird, with so many downsides? Whether you live for Valentine's Day or are the type to forget your wedding anniversary, love is, quite simply, part of being human. In The Science of Love, renowned evolutionary anthropologist Robin Dunbar uses the latest science to explore every aspect of human love.

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Publisher's Summary

A scientific exploration of some of humanity's most puzzling questions: What is love? Why do we fall in (and out) of love? And why would we have evolved to feel something so weird, with so many downsides?

Whether you live for Valentine's Day or are the type to forget your wedding anniversary, love is, quite simply, part of being human. In The Science of Love, renowned evolutionary anthropologist Robin Dunbar uses the latest science to explore every aspect of human love. Why do we kiss? What evolutionary benefit could there be to feeling like you would die for your mate? If love exists to encourage child-bearing and child-rearing, why do we love until death do us part (and beyond)? Is parental love anything like romantic love? Dunbar explores everything science has discovered about romance, passion, sex, and commitment, answering these questions and more.

Draws on the latest scientific research to examine the many aspects of love—passion, commitment, intimacy, hugging, kissing, monogamy, cheating, and more—and explain why we have evolved to behave as we do. Filled with fascinating insights into specific human behaviours and experiences, from the European air kiss on both cheeks to the phenomenon of love at first sight.

Written by Robin Dunbar, a prominent anthropologist and evolutionary psychologist whose work have been featured in Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point and many other books.

Dunbar shares a great deal of interesting study results with us, all of which as far as I remember have been reference in other books on this site. He does weave them all into his own postulations about love and betrayal, but I find the study results here more interesting than his interpretations.

The narrator with his accent was slightly annoying. At times he didn't seem to know where the mood of the paragraph was going, and came off as awkwardly inflected. It could be that I, after writing enough reviews here, am becoming overly critical(Na, he wasn't great).

The analogs between human behaviors, and with animals are fun! Although I am not rating this very high, I can't say that it isn't worth a credit. There is plenty to be learned from this book, however will leave you hopefully believing that there are plenty other educational books that are in my opinion more valuable here on Audible.com.

I was only able to listen to 19 minutes of this book. In fact I had to do that through gritted teeth. I would have been very interested to hear the rest but even my profound interest in the subject could not make me listen to a minute more. This is without a doubt probably the worst audio narration I have ever heard, but don't take my word for it listen to the sample....... and don't think like I did, that surely it must get better, it really really doesn't.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

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